OCI Duration

[JustN89]

So another one of these threads!

I almost exclusively short trip my Impala with the 3.4L engine with 2-3 mile trips per start up as my office is very close. Once a week, I do drive it to where I play basketball, which is 11 miles away. Currently I'm using Rotella T6 5W-30 and haven't really stuck with any brand consistently as I just get what's on sale, but I've stayed mostly with synthetics (Magnatec, Platinum, etc). I've been doing 6 month OCIs, once in the Spring and once in the Fall, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't shorten the OCI since not only am I not putting many miles on it per trip, but it's also being used at least 5 days a week. It's got 124.5K miles and uses little to no oil per OCI. Thoughts?

Thanks!

 

[NormanBuntz]

Full synthetic use and less than 12K miles a year? As Sammy Sosa once said, "Keepa continuin." To me every six months is fine, but a regular 50 mile trip on the interstate would be good.

 

[Alex_V]

Maxlife 10w30 @ 3K intervals.

 

[JoelB]

Do a UOA at 6 months and see where you're at. Probably your best option to make an informed decision.

 

[nap]

To appease you until the UOA, please know that my wife drives her Accord like that since 2007, with similar OCI and the car drives like new. We do take it on a longer highway trip about once every month, to make sure that the battery gets fully charged etc. Dealer 5W20 oil every time.

 

[JustN89]

Yeah, I'll have to grab a Wix UOA off of RockAuto. I figured that a good quality synthetic should last 6 months, but I started to give more consideration to the frequency of use. Often, someone just doesn't use their car that much and they question the age of the oil, but for me I use the car almost daily, just don't get very far with it.

 

[ridgerunner]

You R in a warm/hot area so I’d run a 10w30 in that engine ( if not a SAE 30) and do oil changes once a yr.

 

[madeej11]

Keep your current OC schedule it's fine . Just take it out every weekend for a half hour interstate drive . A half hour drive will get everything nice and up to temp and also keep the battery charged . Don't sweat it.

 

[Jim Allen]

UOA is the only way to evaluate. Bear in mind that oil doesn't have a calendar or a watch. Any oil is good for AT LEAST a year BUT since you short hop I agree with the six month UOA. Be interesting to see where you stand. My prediction is that the oil will be better than you imagine it to be and that you will extend the OCI because you are in a warm (dang it, HOT the last time I was there) climate. In DFW even a short hop will warm the oil lots more than those of us in cooler climes. Do as the UOA dictates.

 

[JustN89]

Well I just recently changed the oil in it, so it will be a bit before I get the UOA done. I'll make sure to put it on here though when I get it. It should be interesting to see.

 

[Audios]

Id say pull an analysis right before you were planning on changing the oil and see where it stands. But if its getting a decent trip every now and then, I dont see why you cant go 5-6k/1 year.

 

[blupupher]

I am in a similar situation.
I am 3 miles from work and work 3 days a week. I do a monthly trip to my mom's (50 miles each way with mostly 55+ MPH. With that and whatever other driving I do, @ 6 months I may be @ 3000 miles.

My last change I went 5000 miles (10 months) on it, but I also do use a qt every 1500 miles or so.
My oil fill cap looked like this though is why I decided to change:

and this was the day after the 100 mile round trip to my mom's.

Sounds like a 6 month interval has worked for you, so keep at it.
If I was not adding make up oil, I would do a 6 month interval. As it is, I may just do an annual change, just making sure to keep it topped up.